I Need Your Help
by OncePeetaHermione
Summary: Mr Gold and Emma come to an agreement before leaving Storybrooke to find his son.
1. Favor

_**disclaimer: I do not own once upon a time... or the characters... or really anything but the story line... so yeah... ENJOY!**_

* * *

Emma was having trouble sleeping. She couldn't eliminate a certain conversation from her mind, one that had surprised not only her, but her fairytale parents. Mr Gold, Rumplestiltskin, had a son. The man had knocked on their door the previous evening under the assumption that she would drop everything and help him find his long lost boy.

"_I'm sure you know how it feels to be separated from your child, Miss Swan," _he appealed, trying to manipulate her as usual into helping him. Rumpelstiltskin, also known for his obsession with contracts didn't hesitate to remind her _"you owe me."_

With Henry clinging to her, his arms like a vice, she had refused to follow him out of town. His displeasure with her was made known very quickly. _"But you owe me, and I'm calling in on your favor. You must come with me." _he had demanded.

Emma had only managed to push him out of her home on the basis that they would talk in the morning. _"No one is going anywhere in the middle of the night" _she had decided, before closing the door with a pleasant but wary, "_goodnight Gold."_

Now that she was in bed, lying in the dark, well and truly awake, Emma couldn't help but think something bad was about to happen. Rejecting Gold's offer would probably bring more unpleasant favors to be fulfilled. She was already unsure as to why he would need her to find Baelfire, if he could in fact cross the town line safely. _"I've made a potion, but let's just say I need help with the 'finer details.'" _His cryptic messages were not helping her anxiety.

* * *

Just as she was slipping off to sleep, a loud trilling rang through the loft. Groaning, Emma sat up. Searching for the origin of the noise, Emma climbed out of bed, wincing slightly as her bare feet hit the cold floor.

She found her phone on the kitchen bench, which turned silent as soon as she picked it up.

**1 missed call**

Sarcastically thanking her phone for the notification, she pressed redial and waited for the midnight caller to answer. As the phone rang in her ear she saw her parents slowly emerging from their corner of the loft. As they pushed through the curtains that separated their room from the rest of the house, the caller answered his phone.

"Doctor Whale. How may I help you?" the receiver answered.

Emma scrunched her face up in confusion. Why was the doctor calling her? "Doctor Whale?" Emma repeated, her eyes flashing over to meet her mother's gaze, "this is Emma Swan, you called?"

The medic cleared his throat before replying. "Yes… it would seem your services are needed sheriff. There has been a car accident on the highway near the town border. There were 4 people involved in the accident, and they have just arrived here at the hospital."

Emma's eyes widened. Gold. What had he done? "Thank you doctor, I have this situation sorted, you keep all the patients there at the hospital until I arrive." She ordered before hanging up.

"What's going on?" David asked as soon as she dropped her phone back onto the table.

"We need to get to work. There's been a car accident on the town border. I'm assuming Gold has something to do with it." Emma's eyes flashed in annoyance as she answered her father. David nodded at her his eyes full of concern.

"I need you to go down to the crash site to take as many pictures you can in the dark and collect evidence." Emma informed David, who nodded before heading back into his room to change.

Mary Margaret walked over to Emma, placing a comforting hand on her back before asking. "And what are you going to do?"

Making eye contact through the darkness of the kitchen, Emma replied forcefully. "I'm going to the hospital. Doctor Whale said that 4 people were involved. And there are no doubts in my mind that Mr. Gold is one of them. I need to find out what he did."

"Alright, well stay safe," Mary Margaret asked her daughter, leaning in to give her a gentle kiss on the cheek before leaving her to get ready. "I'll look after Henry, you go be sheriff."

With a small smile at her mother, Emma walked up to her room to change.

* * *

It was still dark out as Emma pulled up out front of Storybrooke's hospital. Cursing Mr. Gold and his obstinate desire to hunt down his son, she walked into the emergency room. A kind nurse noticed her immediately and lead her down the hall. As she walked into the familiar wing of the hospital she began scanning for Dr. Whale. She could see him, over by the window, bent over examining a patient. However, before she could stalk over to him and demand to see Mr. Gold, a familiar face cropped up in her vision. A young doe eyed woman was sitting upright on a bed, wrapped in one of the always-attractive hospital gowns. As she noticed Emma, her face lit up.

"Emma!" she called out, "thank god you're here!"

Emma observed her, trying to place a name with her face. It wasn't until Mr. Gold, the man she had been so assured was involved, limped over to the girl's bed, that she realized who the brunette was.

"Belle? Is it?" Emma smiled politely at her before sending a harsh glare over her shoulder towards Gold.

"Yes, I'm Belle," she smiled nervously.

Emma looked from her to Gold, before questioning them both. "So, what happened? I heard there was 4 people involved… where are the others?"

The couple shared an unsure glance. "Emma…" Mr. Gold began.

"What?" She replied sardonically.

Mr. Gold looked her straight in the eye as he continued. "A stranger, it was a stranger. My curse worked to keep people away from Storybrooke, but tonight… someone came speeding up the highway, and almost crashed into Belle."

Emma replied hesitantly. "A stranger? Are you sure? How do you know that? It might be someone like August or I. possibly even your son." She remarked with a pointed glare towards Gold before continuing, "Somebody who traveled to this land before your curse. You know that's more than possible."

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Gold was shaking his head. "No, no. He is not my boy. And there are only so many way's to travel from a realm of magic, to one without."

Emma was startled by his surety. "How can you _know_ that though? He _might_ be your son… you said you didn't know what he looked like or how old he was… It could be a possibility. I found a way, _twice._"

Rumpelstiltskin winced slightly at her reminder. "Yes, yes, I know how adept you are at realm jumping, but it's not normally that easy. It took me 300 years to find a way."

"You're 300 years old?" Emma asked, shocked, before shaking her head and moving on. "-never mind. Where is this 'stranger'?"

It was Belle who replied this time. "We don't know, we haven't seen him since we arrived, he was in pretty bad condition. You would have to ask Doctor Whale."

"Ask me what?" the doctor said as he walked up to Belle's bedside. "How are you feeling now?" he asked her kindly. "Has the morphine kicked in?" he murmured as he lifted her bed sheets gently to inspect her leg.

Belle nodded, grimacing slightly as he poked her wound.

"You know, that would be a lot less painful if you would just let me fix it." Gold whispered to Belle, whilst Emma peaked a look at her injury over the doctor's shoulder.

She gasped when she saw it. "Is that… a gunshot wound?" she asked immediately.

The three converged around the bed swiveled to look at her. Doctor Whale looked slightly surprised. "Yes… that's why we called you." He noted slowly.

Emma frowned at him, hating the degrading look he was sending her. "Miss French was shot, out by the town perimeter moments before a car came racing into the town limits. Her attacker was hit by the car, and he along with the driver turned out a lot worse than these two." Whale informed her.

"Who shot you Belle?" Emma asked the woman carefully. She wanted an answer from someone she could trust. Not listening to anything Gold or Whale uttered she stared at the girl. After a few moments of nervous silence Belle looked over at an occupied bed to her left. "Him" she murmured pointing slightly.

Emma nodded, and made her way towards the perpetrator. At first all she noticed was a male, with dark hair and in what she supposed was his late 20's. However, as she stepped closer the familiar face registered in her memory and she froze.

The man, who was trying to hide the pain on his face, was attempting to sit up. After moments of awkwardly arranging his pillows one handedly, he sat up properly and realize he was being watched. It didn't take long for a cocky grin to spread out over his face once he noticed who it was.

"Well, hello again Swan."

* * *

Emma's heart was racing as she stepped towards the bed. "What are you doing here?" she hissed at Hook. He merely smiled at her, enjoying the obvious stress he was inflicting upon her.

"I told you. I wanted to skin myself a crocodile. So I found a way to follow you." He said elusively with a small but significant glance towards Gold, who was watching their interaction.

"How about Cora? Did she come with you?" Emma asked quickly. If Cora was in town, there were precautions that needed to be taken. She needed to warn as many people as soon as possible. Cora's magic was unfounded, and she could be manipulating all of them without anyone knowing.

Hook didn't reply. But the smug grin that spread on his face and the shrug of his shoulders that he gave her was all the proof Emma needed. Cora was in Storybrooke.

Emma, knowing she wouldn't be getting any more information from Hook walked quickly from the ward. From out in the corridor, her eyes still firmly planted on Hook through the glass window, she called David.

He answered on the second ring. "Hey Emma, I think I have almost got everything…"

Emma was worried enough already, she didn't have time for small-talk. "David, go home now. I'll meet you there soon. You shouldn't be out there alone."

David scoffed into the phone. "Please Emma… I'm fine. What's going on at the hospital?"

"I'm not joking David, get home now."

"Emma. What's wrong?... has something bad happened at the hospital?"

"I guess you could say that… Captain Hook is here… and I have very strong suspicions that Cora is as well… in which case, you need to get home to Snow and Henry ASAP."

There was momentary silence on the other end of the line. "Cora?" David whispered like a little boy. "As in: Regina's mother?"

"One in the same… please just go home, I'll meet you there soon." Emma pleaded. "I have one thing to do first though."

David relented, "okay… see you soon, stay safe Emma!"

"Will do" she replied before pulling the phone away from her ear, and hanging up.

Observing the nurses, doctors and patients in the ward through the glass window, Emma formulated a plan. Storybrooke was no longer safe. Tonight's events had proved that. Strangers were beginning to enter, Hook was wielding a gun and Cora was hiding out somewhere.

Gathering all her courage, Emma strode back into the ward, and over to Belle's bed, where she and Rumpelstiltskin were talking.

"You still want to go find your son?" she quietly asked, aware of the evil ears sitting three beds away.

Gold looked at her surprised. "I thought you were averse to the idea of leaving town so soon?"

"I am, but I'll do it." Emma frowned. "On one condition." She added.

Mr. Gold raised his eyebrows warily. "And what would that be dearie?"

Emma took a deep breath, preparing herself for his response as she uttered her condition. "It's not safe here with Hook and probably Cora running around. If you want me to come with you… then Henry's coming as well."

Surprisingly, Gold smiled at her, merely asking with raised eyebrows if she would like to _"Depart in one hour?"_

* * *

**So... New story :) This is my version (most likely miles away from anything that actually happens on the show but... oh well...) of what happens after the car crash in the Canadian promo... I hope you enjoyed this and I will try to update every couple of days :) **


	2. Promises

Emma ran up the stairs to the loft, taking two at a time. As she fumbled with her keys she could hear voices inside. Thankful that her father seemed to have returned home safely, she pushed the door open.

The moment she entered, Mary Margaret pounced on her. "Emma! David said you told him Hook was at the hospital and that you think Cora might be in town as well. What's going on! How did they get here?"

"I don't know… But Storybrooke's not safe anymore. Is Henry asleep?"

"Yeah… he never even woke up, but Emma – _Cora! _And_ Hook!_ What are we going to do?" Mary Margaret stressed.

"Well…" Emma begun, wary of how to tell her parent's her new plan. "I am going to fulfill the favor I owe Mr. Gold. And I'm taking Henry with me. He will be safer away from this mess.

There was silence. It was David who eventually broke it. "Wait… so you are going – leaving town with Rumpelstiltskin?" he asked his daughter, his eyebrows raised in a good imitation of her.

"And Henry" Emma corrected.

Silence ensued once again. Taking it as an opportunity to start packing, Emma made to move upstairs to her and Henry's room. However, Mary Margaret interrupted her, moving to block the stairs. "You and Henry can't go with _him._ It's not safe."

Emma rolled her eyes at her mother's defensive actions. "Well, it's not safe here with Cora and Hook floating around either. I'm taking Henry, and we are going with Mr. Gold to find his son. I need to get Henry out of town, as soon as possible."

"So… because you don't think this town is safe with Hook and Cora, you are deciding to leave us to go somewhere with Rumpelstiltskin…?" David exclaimed, as he reached out his hands to rest on Mary Margaret's shoulders in a comforting manner, whilst he stared in worry at his only child.

"Oh don't look at me like that!" Emma immediately plead as she closed her eyes and raised her left hand slowly to rub her temple. "He is nothing compared to Cora. He doesn't scare me. She does. She's …" Emma hesitated, looking for the right words to describe the witch.

"Vindictive? Evil? Narcissistic?" Mary Margaret suggested, "sounds a lot like Rumpelstiltskin to me… they are very similar Emma. You have seen his softer side, just you wait, something will set him over the edge and he will revert, just like Regina. And I don't want you or Henry anywhere near him when that happens."

"Oh really, well you may be my parents, but I'm an adult and I can make my own decisions. Henry and I are going with Mr. Gold." Emma insisted forcefully. Knowing that her words were harsh when Mary Margaret's face dropped suddenly, Emma all but shouted trying to cover up her previous statement. "It's what's best for Henry, and I don't want him here when all hell breaks loose. I can't have him in danger"

"But Mr. Gold!" Mary Margaret reminded Emma in a harried tone.

"He won't hurt Henry." David cut in, earning a thankful glance from Emma. "Whilst you two were gone, he helped Henry. At no cost. A few times," David explained, turning his wife around to face him. "Gold has a soft spot for Henry, and Snow, although I hate to say it, I think they would be safer with him." David looked into Mary Margaret's eyes, sensing the apprehension she had about the imminent separation of their family. Whispering to her quietly, David reminded his wife that "we have to do what is best for our family, and although you don't want to be pulled apart again… they will be safer outside of town."

Mary Margaret hung her head in defeat, before glancing to her daughter. "Alright… when are you going?"

Emma pulled out her phone from her pocket to check the time. "uhh… half an hour."

Her mother nods, "well then, let's get packing."

The trio made their way upstairs to where Henry was sleeping. Whilst Emma gently woke her son from his slumber, Mary Margaret found travel bags in the closet and David started to gather Henry's things.

"What's going on?" Henry asked, blearily wiping his eyes as Emma shook him awake. Seeing the suitcases his eyes popped open in alarm. "You're not going are you?" the boy asked, sitting up quickly to face Emma eye to eye.

"Yeah I am…" she begun, before being tackled by Henry screaming irrationally, "NO! NO! You can't leave me!"

"shhhhh" Emma soothed, "you're coming as well."

Upon hearing this new development, her son froze mid yell. After a few short breaths Henry whispered with the vulnerability of a hopeful child, "Really?"

"Yeah!" Emma reinforced, pulling back from their hug. "We're leaving soon though, so I'll explain in the car. You can stay in your pajamas, but you need to help gramps pack your things. Grab anything you may want for the next week or so. I doubt we'll be much longer than that." Emma informed her curious son.

"Okay" Henry said excitedly, jumping out of bed, most certainly awake. As Emma watched him race downstairs to grab his storybook, she sighed. She had hoped he would be tired enough to spend at least half of the road trip asleep in the back of the car.

"Emma," Snow called out from where she was rifling through Emma's underwear drawer, as only mothers do. "Do you think you'll need passports? Because, Henry doesn't have one…"

"I don't think so- if we do, I know where to get some." Emma replied quickly, not quite realizing what she had said until she noticed the shocked look on her parent's faces.

"Alright…" Snow replied, pushing Emma's passport into her daughter's bag anyway.

* * *

Within 15 minutes Emma and Henry were all packed. After quickly clearing out the backseat of the bug for Henry, Emma walked back up to the loft to see her parents saying goodbye to their grandson.

"Don't forget to call every day, and make sure Emma answers her phone, okay?" Mary Margaret was saying lovingly to Henry as she cupped both of his cheeks in her hands. The boy was smiling up at her and nodding. Whilst Emma walked over to her family Snow pulled Henry in for a big hug.

"We'll be fine grams," Henry promised as he was released from her hold.

As Henry moved on to say goodbye to his grandpa, Mary Margaret opened her arms for Emma. Smiling slightly at the gesture, Emma walked into the loving embrace of her mother. As they hugged, Mary Margaret instilled as much advice and instructions as she possibly could. "Make sure you call every evening. Don't talk to strangers. Don't trust Rumpelstiltskin. Pull over at a motel if you get tired driving. Be careful. As soon as you arrive you must call me." She fretted, patting Emma's back slightly.

Laughing Emma replied. "Well look who sounds like a mom! … I don't know if I can remember all of that… you might need to write it down for me." Emma teased, hugging her mother tighter before whispering in her ear. "I'll miss you."

Mary Margaret could feel tears pooling in her eyes. Imitating Emma and increasing her grasp, she whispered back, "I'll miss you too. Stay safe, I love you."

Emma nodded into her mother's shoulder, not yet ready to share her feelings aloud, before pulling away. Making eye contact with the teary eyed Mary Margaret Emma smiled once again. As her mother placed her hand on her cheek, Emma promised to call as soon as they arrived wherever it was they were going.

When Henry butted Emma out of the way for one final hug with his Grandmother, Emma came face to face with David. The pair hadn't had too much bonding time since she had arrived home from the Enchanted Forest, but it was more than obvious how similar they were. Especially in this moment as they faced each other off. Emma knew David wanted to hug her, but was hesitant to do so. Emma wasn't even sure if she could handle being hugged by him… but there was a first time for everything right?

David cleared his throat quietly, and gazed at his daughter. "Be careful," he murmured. "Although you owe Rumpelstiltskin, finding his son is not your number one priority. Remember that." he begun, becoming more confident. "You need to take care of yourself and Henry, alright?" He asked Emma, sounding like a … father.

Emma nodded. "I will." She replied quickly.

David nodded, unsure of what else to say. "Good" he eventually managed, as he shoved his hands in his pockets to keep himself from reaching out to her prematurely.

Emma stared at him for a moment, finding his nervousness slightly amusing. However, she had a few things she needed to say herself before she left. Reaching down to her belt, Emma unclipped the Sheriff badge, and handed it over to her father. Surprised, he took it.

"You managed the town well last time I was gone, I'm sure I can trust you with the badge whilst I'm gone." Emma started with a small smile. "I just have one favor to ask." She continued.

"Anything" David replied with a smile.

Glancing over to her son in the kitchen, Emma lowered her voice so that Henry and Mary Margaret, who were packing bag of snacks couldn't hear. "_You_ need to call me if anything happens. I don't care about drunken brawls, but if anything reeking of Cora or Regina occurs – I need to know. Immediately." Emma demands, her eyes not wavering for a second from David's.

Nodding, her father promised to call if something happened.

Ultimately it was the slight fear on Emma's face that pushed him to comfort her. Reaching out, he finally pulled her in for a hug. At first it was uncomfortable, but once Emma wraped her arms around his back, the pair relished in each other's comforting embrace. With Emma's face nestled in the crook of his neck, Charming sighed happily. "Please call your mom… often. I don't think I can handle her stress if you don't" David murmured into her hair.

Emma laughed softly. "Once a day – I promise. But you better make sure she doesn't call me 10 times a day, because I can't assure you that I'll answer every time!"

Charming snorted. "Have you ever tried stopping her from doing something? It's almost impossible! ... But I will try." David assured her, pulling back from her slightly to place a kiss gently on her forehead. "Stay safe okay?" he asked before releasing her.

Emma stared at her dad, momentarily shocked by the affectionate kiss. "Sure," she replied with a smile, before walking over to Henry. "Are you ready to go kid?" she asked ruffling his hair as he covered a yawn with his hand.

"Yep" Henry agreed, picking up the snack bag from the table and heading over to the door. Emma smiled at her parents and made to follow her son.

"Emma!" Mary Margaret called. Surprised she turned around to face her mother, eyebrows raised. Before she could even get a word out, Mary Margaret had her wrapped in a fleeting hug. After a few moments that made Emma realize her mom was getting emotional she pulled back.

"See you soon," she promised, placing a kiss on Mary Margaret's cheek and walking to the door. As she and Henry stepped out of the apartment, she turned and waved slightly at Prince Charming and Snow White who were huddled together in the middle of the room.

* * *

After pulling up out front of Mr. Gold's house at 3:15 am Emma sent a text.

**I'm here. Come out now. We need to leave. **

After receiving a quick reply **'Ok' **Emma looked over at her sleepy son. "How about you climb into the backseat now, Henry? Mr. Gold will need to sit in the front." Emma suggested calmly, trying to encourage a sleepy atmosphere so she wouldn't have to deal with hours of the question 'are we there yet?'

"Mmkay" Henry agreed, chucking his backpack into the backseat, and climbing clumsily through the small space between the front seats. Emma was intently watching her son, reminding him to put his seatbelt on and then draping a light blanket over his body. Therefore, when she heard a sharp tapping on the glass of her window, she almost had a heart attack.

Thankfully, it was Mr. Gold. She had forgotten that she'd locked the doors. Manually unlocking the passenger seat lock and then her own, Emma got out of the car, closing her door behind herself quietly.

"Are you ready Miss Swan?" Mr. Gold asked apprehensively. He wore an ugly scarf of some sort around his neck, and carried a small suitcase.

"Yep" she replied, walking around to open the trunk of the car.

Scoffing slightly, Gold swung his bag in next to Emma and Henry's. "It's going to be a long journey Miss Swan, I hope we don't stick to one word responses the entire time."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Look, it's 3 in the morning, Henry is in the car and I would really like it if he could sleep. He is no fun when he is grumpy, so not talking is a requirement if you want to take my car."

"Alright, I don't want to disturb the boy." Gold conceded as he climbed into the passenger seat quietly.

Emma started the Bug, and checked Henry in the rear-view mirror. Thankfully he already seemed to be dozing off. Releasing the handbrake, Emma paused. "Where are we going exactly? Do you even know?" she asked the man next to her.

Mr. Gold looked at her, amused. "Manhattan," he whispered, before turning his head to stare out of the front window as Emma drove off and away from Storybrooke.

* * *

**So here is my second chapter. I was just squeezing some charming family stuff in there before we get into the swan/Cassidy/'stiltskin/mills side of the story. **

– **I hope you enjoyed :D let me know via a review what you thought :p **


	3. Walls

As dawn broke, Emma could see a city in the distance. Boston. As she watched, the buildings were illuminated by the morning sun. Emma had few memories of her time in the city, it was the place where she had finally been found, and was the last place she'd experienced normalcy. Although her life had changed insurmountably, and was now everything _but_ normal, she couldn't help but think that Henry finding her was the biggest miracle of her life.

Whilst she had been happy enough with her life before Henry had extracted her, looking back on it now Emma knew how much she was struggling. What she would have then called her strength, Emma now knew were the walls she had placed around her heart.

The first wall had been slowly erected throughout her childhood as her parents had continuously failed to save her from her horrible life.

The second wall was created by the hardships of being a foster child. Abuse, neglect, low expectations and dwindling hope all created a tall barricade after 16 years.

The third wall belonged solely to a man, or as Emma like to say 'a bastard.' Calling _him_ a man elicits at least some ideals of respect and honor. The _bastard_ had made her fall in love for the first time in her life, leaving her intensely vulnerable. Fed her false hope about a life they could lead together. Had gotten her arrested, Left her pregnant and abandoned her.

Brokenhearted, her walls scattered all over the place, Emma had been a mess. That was when her outlook on life changed. Her parents were never going to find her, because _they _didn't want her. The foster system was corrupt, and she would never wish the curse of being sent there upon anyone. Those walls were easy to restore. However, that final third wall spent 11 months being erected.

Through the intense shock of being set up. Through the realization of her pregnancy. Through the morning sickness. Through the cravings. Through the back pain. Through the swollen feet. Through the stretch marks. Through the contractions which amounted slowly and painfully for 24 hours before Emma was finally, finally, able to bring her beautiful child into the world.

The wall continued to be erected as Emma, a mere 18 year old _girl_ realized that her son deserved better. He deserved better than her. He didn't deserve being pushed into the foster system for 3 months to wait for his jailed mother. The baby boy deserved more than a _girl_ as a mom who most certainly didn't have her life in order. He deserved more than the mother who would probably need to dump him in the foster system for sporadic periods throughout his life, so that she could provide for them, so that she could organize her life. He deserved better.

When Emma had walked from that prison, after 11 months, she was a different person. She may have walked in brokenhearted, but she had walked out strong. A fighter. With walls taller than the empire state building, created to protect her heart.

Henry. Her baby boy. Had found her, and had found her parents. The small gift she had given to the world, had returned to her after 10 years. He was her bulldozer, her dynamite. He carelessly rolled around, crashing through her carefully erected walls.

When he had created his tunnel, a small passage straight to her heart, Emma knew that there was no more letting go. She wasn't allowed to continue construction around her heart. She had to open herself up to love, to her son who needed her, and most of all, needed her love.

Ultimately, Henry's tunnel had opened a passage, which now allowed a small slither of light to touch her heart daily. She was happy, and she couldn't remember ever being happier. But now that her walls had Henry's tunnel, and the cracks, which were her parents, Emma was beginning to recognize the sheer loneliness of her past life. Driving past Boston, and away from her parents was a strong reminder of those days. And Emma could feel the cracks of her parents being filled with dust and sand with every mile that separated them.

* * *

"Mom" Henry croaked, scaring Emma from her train of thought. They were just past Boston when he awoke. Mr. Gold was still sitting impassively in the seat adjacent to Emma. She was unsure whether or not he had slept, but there had been no conversation between the two adults since Storybrooke.

"Yeah Henry, what is it?" Emma asked, glancing at her son's pale face in the rear-view mirror.

"I need to pee…" he stated eloquently, as he rubbed the palms of his hands over his eyes repeatedly.

Emma groaned slightly as she promised to pull over at the next service station. Although it was probably a decent idea for her to take a break from driving, Emma was in a rush to reach Manhattan. The Bug, Mr. Gold, Henry and his unruly hair, it was all too much. Emma longed for the days when it was just her. And a deeper, unaccounted part of her longed for another unruly haired male who used to sleep in the backseat of the bug.

As Emma pulled into the parking lot of a small highway diner, Mr. Gold finally spoke. "Would you like a comb, Henry?" he asked kindly.

Emma stared at him, an eyebrow raised in skepticism as he held out a small black comb to her son. Henry shrugged before taking it and running it through his hair.

Noticing Emma's intense gaze Gold attempted an answer. "I had a boy once, remember? I know how their hair can be after a night tossing and turning. We don't want the diner thinking we kidnapped your boy now do we?"

Nodding, Emma climbed out of the car, and motioned for Henry to climb out behind her. He was halfway out of the car before he exclaimed in utmost horror, "I'm still in my pajamas! I can't go in there!"

Chuckling, Emma walked around to the trunk, and pulled open Henry's suitcase. Grabbing a pair of jeans, a shirt and a red sweater, Emma called out to her little boy, "put your shoes and jacket on, you can change inside."

Ignoring the complaints that someone will realize he is wearing pajamas, Emma and Mr. Gold walk towards the diner, followed by a grumpy Henry. "Oh cheer up lad," Gold attempted to console Henry. "Who do you think will notice? It's not like you know anyone in there." He pointed out with a small smile as he adjusted the shawl around his neck.

Thankfully as they walked in, they were greeted by a gust of warm air and the smell of food. Passing over his clothes to her son, Emma pointed towards an empty booth. "We'll be over there. Don't take too long."

Nodding, Henry rushed towards the men's rooms, desperate to get out of his small superman sleepwear. Unfortunately for him, as he neared the bathrooms two pretty girls who looked to be about 12 years old, walked out from the ladies room. They both stopped in surprise at the sight of Henry, who looked like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car. They took one look at him in his PJ's, glanced at each other and burst into giggles as they walked away.

Blushing, sighing and cursing himself for wearing his worst pair of pajama's to bed the evening before, he pushed open the men's room door, and entered, his head hung low.

* * *

"I ordered you waffles," Emma informed her son as he trudged back towards their booth. He glared at his mother who pursed her lips in order to keep herself from laughing. She had seen the small altercation earlier, and found it adorable that her 11 year old was embarrassed about a bunch of girls seeing him in his nightwear.

Utilizing the tact she had supposedly inherited from her father, Emma took the opportunity to tease her son further. "I overheard those lovely young ladies whom you met earlier, gushing about how adorable you looked." She gossiped earning a huff from Henry as his blush deepened.

"Unfortunately," Emma continued, completely loving the reaction Henry was displaying, as he was providing solid entertainment amidst their awkward and tedious road trip, "they think you're only 10." At this comment, Henry completely slumped in his seat, and Mr. Gold begun sniggering.

This discussion broke the ice slightly, and although Henry refused to speak until their food arrived, Emma and Mr. Gold were able to discuss their plans for Manhattan somewhat comfortably.

"Do you know where he lives?" Emma had questioned. However she didn't like the look on Gold's face as he hesitated to reply.

"Well… partly. I know obviously that he lives in Manhattan…" Mr. Gold tapered off, looking unsure.

"It's a pretty big city, with loads of citizens Gold… please tell me you at least know what Neighborhood he lives in." Emma hissed with wide eyes.

It was years ago now, but Emma had lived there for a while. 11 months. It was one of her favourite cities in America. There were so many people, from many different walks of life. And as a bail bonds person, she had a fair amount of work within the city. Eventually she had left, and gone to Boston. There was no particular reason why, but Emma had been a runner back then. That was something that had had to change upon meeting Henry. And although she had tried to leave multiple times, it had been over 1 year and she still lived in Storybrooke with her parents and son.

However, there is always a reason for being a runner, no matter what some tell themselves, if you run, you are either running towards or away from something. And Emma was always trying to stay ahead of herself. Moving around a lot helped to keep her life from catching up with her. There was always a nagging feeling that something was just out of arms reach, and the moment she relinquished control of her life, it would catch up with her, and floor her. It was because of that fear, or foresight, she called it that had kept her moving. It just felt… safer.

"Well… yeah I know the block where Balefire lives, or at least spends his evenings, but I looked it up and there are multiple buildings with many residential apartments in SoHo."

"It's Manhattan." Emma deadpanned. "Of course there are multiple buildings with many residential apartments. That's what the entire city is."

"Oh… well, I hoped you would be able to help identify my boy, considering your history in that line of work." Mr. Gold suggested, finally admitting his reason for dragging her along with him.

"Is that why you forced me to come? You thought I could track down your son, in a sea of unknown people!" Emma hissed, annoyed at his overly ambitious plan.

"yes." He nodded simply.

Sighing, Emma ran her hand over her face, she was exhausted. "Ok, so what do we know? He has brown hair?"

"Yes, and an olive skin tone." Mr. Gold added before continuing. "Also, I calculated it, and he would be between the age of 14 and 43. I made the curse so that we would arrive in this world before him, so that he wouldn't have to wait for you to break the curse. But it is a possibility that we may have gotten here at the same time."

Emma glared across the table as Mr. Gold talked. He had just described possibly every male living on that block in Manhattan. With the age gap between 14 and 43, it did not rule out many options. Brown haired, olive skinned, males are also fairly common. Henry was included in that description. Great.

Emma let out one massive, elongated sigh as she picked up her fork to dig into her pancakes. "Well… I guess we will be doing a lot of door knocking then. I'm going to need a coffee… it's going to be a long day."

* * *

**Hiya, so this is chapter 3… I promise there will be Neal in the next chapter… :D **


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